2024’s Top 5 Health and Wellness Innovations
Words by Carlos Pichardo
Modern medicine is one of the great marvels of the 21st century. Many diseases and ailments that plagued humanity for thousands of years are now obsolete. However, as recent years have shown, there is still much to be done. yet2 is shedding light on groundbreaking innovations and trends in health, wellness, and sustainability.
These are the Top 5 innovation search trends yet2 are seeing across our global clients:
DIY Health Monitoring: The Power of Home Diagnostics
Home diagnostics are transforming our approach to personal wellness. With tests for everything from Alzheimer’s risks to checking vitamin levels, people worldwide are taking personal health back into their hands. Additionally, many diagnostics companies are using diagnostic data to give consumers personalized health recommendations making home diagnostics a powerful solution for those with less access to health care.
Worth highlighting are new diagnostics technologies for checking vitamin levels. Nearly one-third of U.S. citizens are at risk of a vitamin deficiency. At-home vitamin level tests are a young innovation but they’re already evolving. In the past, virtually all vitamin level tests required a painful finger prick, but one yet2 client is seeking to change this.
yet2 conducted a landscape of 45+ consumer vitamin level tests in innovative formats like breath, saliva, and sweat. Every day new ways are being found to allow ourselves to check in with our bodies and ensure we’re getting the nutrients we need!
Here are some more examples of yet2’s scouting efforts in home diagnostics:
Seeking: Wearables to Monitor Dermal Bioindicators
Seeking: Digital Dehydration Risk Management Device
Life-Saving… Gummies?
The way we take medicine is evolving. Soon the days of taking huge pills that hurt to swallow might be over. yet2 is witnessing the rise of new formats like soft chews, medicated chewing gum, and long-lasting topicals making medication more accessible, especially for the young and elderly. Something as simple as a difficult-to-open pill bottle can be a major impediment and the evolution of medicine formats will play a great role in ensuring everyone can have the care they need.
Here are some new formats yet2 has been working in:
Innovation Trends in Life Sciences
Seeking: Untraditional Oral Care Product Care Formats
Microbiome: Macro Effects
Innovation in microbiome solutions has gained exceptional steam in recent years, following the explosion of gut healthcare remedies. Excitingly, yet2 sees there’s more to come, especially in the skin and oral microbiomes. These relatively uncharted territories offer potential insights into overall health and preventative care, signaling an exciting area of growth in microbiome research.
Take a look at some of the microbiome research yet2 is assisting:
Seeking: Prebiotics for Microbiome Control
Seeking: Naturals for Microbiome Control
Regulation and Digitization: Shaping the Future
Though they serve as the backdrop to the more exciting products and innovations, it’s important to note the evolving health and wellness regulatory landscapes.
Two major regulatory policy changes, the EU Green Deal and MoCRA in the US, have been at the forefront of many FMCG and consumer healthcare companies’ minds. yet2 interviewed 12 global companies across various industries revealing that regulatory experts are seeking the best practices to prepare for large changes such as these.
Practices such as modernizing data storage and leveraging AI/ML techniques streamline internal operations and ensure the company maintains compliance with regulatory changes.
yet2 is there at the edge of the digital and regulatory:
Seeking: Commercial and Academic AI Partners/Collaborators
NEI Seeking: Approaches to Assess the Impact of Data Sharing
Benchmarking Regulatory and Compliance Best Practices
Sustainable Packaging: Health for You and the World
Products and processes aren’t the only targets of the sustainability/wellness movement: sustainable packaging is a major concern for the biggest companies in the world. The movement towards compostable, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging is in full stride.
EU plastic regulations laws have been in effect for a few years and across Asia and the U.S EPR (External Producer Responsibility) implementation is becoming more common. But it’s not only the law; corporations are taking charge in discovering new materials.
Check out some of the work yet2 has been helping do to spur a push for sustainable packaging:
Bayer Seeking: Sustainable Packaging Materials For Healthcare Products
Unilever Seeking: Better Recyclability of Aerosol Packaging
Conclusion
The world may be on its way to a healthier future. People are recognizing the importance of sustainable practices that promote well-being. Groundbreaking healthcare technologies are abundant today and there is a wave of amazing products and services available.
Furthermore, there are great efforts to ensure that every step of production is not taking us a step back. There is hope that we can all make health and well-being more accessible… if your company is part of the next big innovation, yet2 can help set the stage.
Contact yet2
Image by Luke Chesser on Unsplash